Living in the “Already and Not Yet”: Experiencing Eternal Life Now

A sermon for October 13, 2024, 21st Sunday after Pentecost, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church – Buffalo, NY .

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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

When we think of eternal life, we often picture it as something distant—Heaven—a place we experience only after we die. But what if there’s more to it than that? The conversation between Jesus and the rich man in Mark 10:17, where he asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” challenges us to rethink what eternal life really means and when it begins.

Inheritance: A Gift, Not a Transaction

Recently, I experienced inheritance firsthand after my step-dad passed away in January and my mom in March. Not everyone has the same experience with inheritance, but, for my siblings and me, inheritance wasn’t something we had to earn; it was something we received simply because we were family. This got me thinking—perhaps eternal life is similar. It’s not something we achieve by doing, but something we receive because of who God is and not because of what we do.

The rich man’s question reflects a common belief that we must do something to inherit eternal life. But as children of God, we are already inheritors. Eternal life, like any true inheritance, is a gift based on relationship, not merit.

Reframing Eternal Life: What Is It?

So, if eternal life isn’t just about Heaven, what is it? Is it the fullness of God’s presence … the Kingdom of God? Is it merely a fairy tale ending, a “happily ever after”? Or is it something more profound that affects our present reality?

In God’s vision for eternal life, what might God want and not want for His people? What is the role in eternal life for things like injustice, justice, poverty, hunger, mercy, judgment, love?

In times of oppression or slavery, people without power were told “you will experience freedom, joy, and justice later … in heaven … in eternal life … in the sweet by and by.” So, if you have any thought of freedom in this life … forget about it.

God’s vision for eternal life includes justice, mercy, and love, not only in the afterlife but also in our current world. It’s essential to ask ourselves what eternal life looks like in the here and now.

The “When” of Eternal Life: Now or Later?

We often think eternal life begins after we die. But what if it begins now? Lutheran theology teaches the concept of the “already and not yet”—the idea that the Kingdom of God is already present among us but not yet fully realized. Jesus proclaimed, “The Kingdom has come near,” signaling that eternal life is not only about the future but also the present.

If eternal life has already begun, it can change the way we live. The question shifts from “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” to “How can I be part of God’s work in the world now?” How can we bring God’s Kingdom closer in our everyday actions?

Eternal Life: A Communal Experience

Eternal life isn’t a solitary journey; it’s a communal one. It’s not just about securing our own peace, justice, and satisfaction. Would the eternal life God wants for us be a time or place where I experience justice, freedom, ease, and plenty of food and drink while my neighbor does not also have these – where I thrive, but my neighbor does not? That sounds more like eternal hell than eternal life. Our calling as inheritors is to help others experience the life God intends for them—now.

At Holy Trinity, we’re engaging with religious leaders in our community to explore how we can live out God’s Kingdom during and beyond the upcoming elections. We’re asking ourselves how we can be good neighbors while embracing our unique religious and political identities.

A Call to Action: Living into Eternal Life

I leave you with this question: How can each of us live as if we have already inherited eternal life? This week, I encourage you to find concrete ways to live and extend God’s wide welcome and abundant love to all people as, together, we live into the eternal life God has in mind.

In the name of Jesus … Amen!